Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2009

Today in the News Media

Today in the News Media is a synopsis of some of the most prominent coverage of OSU people and programs. Inclusion of any item constitutes neither an endorsement nor a critique, but rather is intended only to make the OSU community aware of significant items in the media.

The Great Paradox of China: Green Energy and Black Skies (Reuters)
A recent study published in the Journal of Environmental Science and Technology, conducted jointly by Peking University and Oregon State University, found that Beijing’s $20 million investment to scrub the skies for the Olympics in fact had little impact on air quality.

Hunger in the Homeland (Gazette-Times)
Inspired by President Obama’s promise to end childhood hunger in the United States by 2015, a group of Oregon State University students is spending the summer touring the nation — and Oregon — to gain ideas on how to end hunger.

Part of immune system conserved 60M years (UPI)
U.S. scientists say the ability of vitamin D to regulate anti-bactericidal proteins has been conserved in primates for nearly 60 million years of evolution. Oregon State University researchers said that part of the immune system is shared only by primates, including humans — but no other known animal species.Researchers begin mapping Oregon coast floor (KTVZ)
A survey of the ocean floor off the Oregon coast will provide detailed undersea maps that will help protect marine habitat. Researchers from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and Oregon State University will study water depths, seek out navigational hazards and monitor the natural features of coastal seabeds and aquatic life.

Petitioners target fees, gasoline tax (Statesman Journal)
“If the anti-tax activists manage to qualify a referendum on the gas-tax increase, then a carefully constructed transportation package that was bargained over will almost certainly come apart,” said Bill Lunch, the political-science chairman at Oregon State University.

Klamath Basin Growers Get Rights to Grow, Market Purple Potato (Western Farmer-Stockman)
Klamath Basin Fresh Direct, an association of potato growers along the Oregon-California border, has been awarded exclusive rights to grow and market a new purple fingerling developed by USDA and Northwestern universities. The variety, Purple Pelisse, named for an intense hue inside and out that looks like a color found in a crayon box, is the first specialty spud that Oregon State University, the University of Idaho and Washington State University and the USDA have jointly made available for public consumption.

Going with the Grain (Register Guard)
About 90,000 to 120,000 acres of wheat — mostly soft white wheat used for making tortillas and pasta, not bread, is being harvested this year, estimates Jim Peterson, a wheat breeder at Oregon State University. More than 150,000 to 175,000 acres “is not un­realistic” for the coming year, he said. Grass seed is grown on about 480,000 acres in the Willamette Valley.

Episcopal leader presents views in new book (Gazette-Times)
The Most Rev. Dr. Katharine Jefferts Schori, presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church and former longtime Corvallis resident, has written a new book. Schori is a graduate of OSU.

Today

Upcoming Events

A memorial service for an agronomist who studied oilseed and fiber crops and worked at Oregon State University for nearly 30 years will take place on campus on Aug. 21. Daryl Ehrensing died in Corvallis on Aug. 10. He was 57. Ehrensing earned a bachelor’s degree in crop science from OSU in 1976 and began working for the university in 1981. At the time of his death, he was a senior faculty research assistant who studied alternative crops, including meadowfoam, fiber flax, canola, camelina, hemp and wild rice. He was also exploring the use of Russian dandelion as a source of natural rubber. The service will take place at 3 p.m. at OSU’s CH2M HILL Alumni Center. Casual dress is preferred.

Join President Ray, Provost Randhawa, VP Cassady, and the Research Office Team for the 2009 OSU Research Orientation, Nov. 13 in LaSells Stewart Center, 7:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. This program will introduce new faculty to the Research Enterprise at OSU. In addition to an overview of the many services offered by the Research Office to support faculty success; this year the orientation experience has been re-vitalized by adding first hand information from knowledgeable faculty about how they have made successful use of the OSU system. There will be lively discussion, interaction with specialists, helpful handouts, breakfast, lunch, and an opportunity to network with future collaboration partners. Sign up through the OSU Registration Website http://oregonstate.edu/training/ under course title “Research New Faculty Orientation.”

News for Employees

NEW! The College of Health and Human Sciences announces a position opening for an Academic Advisor. Application available online: http://oregonstate.edu/jobs Position # 0004564. For more detail about the position and requirements/qualifications visit: http://jobs.oregonstate.edu/applicants/Central?quickFind=55401. Position closes on Aug. 25.

Analyst Programmer position opening in the MECOP office (Multiple Engineering Co-op Program). Electronic application available at http://oregonstate.edu/jobs. Posting #0004369. The closing date has been extended to Aug. 28.

The Research Office is requesting Letters of Intent from interested faculty for the National Institutes of Health – Outstanding New Environmental Scientist (ONES) Award (R01). Only one application per college or school within a university will be accepted by NIH. Guidance for preparation of Letters of Intent to the Research Office and full detail for the NIH – ONES program can be found at: http://oregonstate.edu/research/incentive/ones.html. Letters of Intent should be submitted electronically as a MS Word or PDF document to Debbie Delmore, Research Office at: debbie.delmore@oregonstate.edu by Sept. 8. For information, contact Debbie Delmore at 541-737-8390.

If you are interested in obtaining a license for an Adobe Connect Pro virtual classroom – now is your chance. Extension will be renewing our annual contract with Adobe on Sept. 1. The cost for a license is $150/year. Each room requires at least one person to hold a license and be the named ‘organizer’ of that room. Each Connect room can hold 100 attendees with communication via VOIP or Chat. Additional information can be found at: http://tss.oregonstate.edu/softdist/adobe_connect/index.shtml. In the past year Extension has made use of the Connect rooms for training, meetings, and presentations – enabling us to connect with colleagues across the state without incurring travel costs. If your department or college is interested in purchasing rooms on this contract, please Karen Watte at Karen.Watte@oregonstate.edu with the number of rooms you would like to purchase and the index to charge. Please note that we will provide initial setup but that we cannot provide extended support to non-Extension license holders. Please contact Karen no later than Aug. 19, with your request.

The Office of Academic Planning and Assessment invites applications for an Assistant to the Director & Curriculum Coordinator. This is a full-time (1.0 FTE), 12-month, fixed-term professional faculty position. This is an Internal Search, and is open to current, regular status OSU employees only. Position details and qualifications can be found at http://oregonstate.edu/jobs. Posting # 0004530. Posting closes Aug. 21.

Traffic and Maintenance

Bloss Hall: Due to construction associated with the Bloss Hall roof replacement project, 10 parking spaces in the South parking lot along Western Ave., will be temporarily shutdown. This shutdown will continue through Sept. 11.

Transit and Parking Services Administrative Office will be closed to front counter business every Friday for the month of August. You may still contact us by phone from 7:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Weather

In the days when courtship was a subtle and secret ritual, the use of a fan by a lady could convey many hidden messages, from “Meet me at midnight,” to “I disdain you.” As highs reach 95 today, perhaps it’s time to practice your own fan language, and cool off at the same time. Tomorrow we’ll see significant drop in temperatures as highs reach 88.